How much do insurance agents make?

Insurance agents can have a rewarding career, and more so, since nowadays individuals have recognized the need for having insurance protection. However, it's difficult to predict the exact earnings of an insurance agent. That is because, an agent's earnings depend on his client base and how much insurance coverage he can sell. Thus, the more you put your effort as an agent, the more policies you'll sell and the more will be your income.

To know how an insurance agent earns, you must be aware of their mode of work. Based on how they work, insurance agents are broadly classified into two types:

Captive agents - Those who represent a particular insurance company.

Independent agents - Those who sell insurance products from various insurance companies.

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How much do the Captive agents earn?

Captive agents are employees of an insurance company and usually have fixed wages. The initial few months would be the training and learning phase for such an agent. Thereafter, the insurers usually set a target for each agent which has to be fulfilled within a pre-determined time period. According to his or her performance, his or her salary gets revised. There might even be a scope of earning performance bonuses, after the agent meet the target. The salary structure usually depends on a number of factors like the location, the company etc.

How much do the Independent agents earn?

The independent agents represent multiple companies. They don't get a fixed remuneration from the insurance companies. They usually receive a percentage commission from the insurer, which depends on the amount of insurance they sell. Moreover, revenue is only generated on sale of new policies. Thus, to earn more, the agents need to sell more insurance policies.

What is the range of income?

The average income of an insurance agent is around $62,970 for a year, as the May 2011 reports of the Bureau of Labor Statistics have pointed out. However, since the individual income is generally based on the commissions earned, skilled agents having a large number of clients can earn much more than the BLS mean. The yearly income of around 50 percent of the agents ranges from $33,850 to $72,490, with the experienced ones earning as high as $115,300 on an average per year or even more than that.

How much can be the agent commission?

The independent agents working for the insurance companies usually earn from the commissions after each policy sale. The agent compensation is usually paid only for the initial year of a new policy. The agents selling homeowner's insurance and auto insurance receive around 10 to 15 percent commission on the first year's policy premiums. The allowed compensation depends on the insurers though, and can be as low as 8 percent or as high as 15 percent. Life insurance agents earn a lot more, typically in the first year only. They usually receive most of the premium that the policy holder pays in the first year, or even all of it at times.

Is there a scope for earning more?

Apart from the standard commissions which solely depend on each individual agent's performance, the insurance agents have the scope of earning more if the client renews the coverage. The renewals commissions typically range between 2 to 5 percent for each policy.

Along with that, any insurance companies also offer year-end bonuses and non-cash rewards like trips and prizes for the insurance agents.

The short answer would be that a good insurance agent will make as much as he/she really wants to make.

An insurance agent just starting out with a "captive" company will normally be guaranteed a certain income for the first few months. This period allows the agent to learn the insurance company and the insurance products being offered. Normally at the end of this "guaranteed" period, the agent must have produced sales to at least equal the guaranteed starting income (commissions).

Now, do insurance agents make good money ?

In a situation where an agent works for an independent agency, normally the pay structure is "commission only", but this agent may have access to several thousand established insurance customers. This situation certainly helps in the most difficult area of being an insurance agent - prospecting.

Some insurance agents just want to work on their own and actually be independent agents themselves. I think this is the most difficult way to start an insurance career because it is usually just commissions from new sales and the agent may or may not be furnished prospective customers by the insurance carriers.

How much an insurance agent makes also depends on the lines of insurance in which he/she works. For example - property and casualty insurance may pay a 12-15% commission, while a life insurance contract may pay as high as 100% commission.

I personally know insurance agents who make in excess of $1 Million per year and I also know agents who make $30,000 per year.

There is no ceiling on an insurance agents pay. In fact, most insurance agents I know make exactly what they think they are worth.

I think insurane maze just about covered the whole spectrum of it when he said that an agent generally makes what they think they are worth. I am a captive agent right now and my income has gradually increased over the last few years. I dont think I wouldve been able to do that working a salaried job. But the reason for the increase was not a larger influx of customers, it was my growing confidence in what I was doing. So he is very correct about that.

I read somewhere that when Jim Carey was fresh in his acting career, he wrote himself a check for 10 million dollars and put it in his wallet, knowing that one day he would be able to cash it. Hmmmmmmmmm maybe I should try that for insurance!!!

I read somewhere that when Jim Carey was fresh in his acting career, he wrote himself a check for 10 million dollars and put it in his wallet, knowing that one day he would be able to cash it.

Wow!! I didn't know that. That proves how confident he was about his acting ability.

Anyways, after what Insurance Maze has already said I don't have much to add but your compensation will depend on a couple of things.

But, do insurance agents make good money ?

It will depend on the type of agent you are- captive or independent. If you are a captive agent you are entitled to a fix amount of remuneration over and above the commission you earn from the sales. But at the same time you lose the flexibility to earn from different policies. On the other hand, independent agency runs on no sell, no commission' basis.

The company you are associated with. Typically an agent's commission depends upon the insurance company he is associated with. And all the companies have their own commission structure.

A life agent can earn around 30-50% (approx) commission on term life policies and about 90-95% upon the first year premium of the whole life plan._________________Register Now to have your Insurance queries solved.

Initially I used to wonder how much money do insurance agents make !
When I first started out just over 20 years ago I make $50-$60,000/year. I am now a top advisor who does a broad range of wealth management as well for clients.

This week alone I will make $236,000 on new life insurance commissions. In addition I have 20 years of renewals and trailers from investments coming in each week.

I am attempting to find out more about the insurance field before I choose to dedicate my time and money. I know there are several different licenses one can obtain in the insurance market eg. auto insurance agent, life insurance agent etc. Which do most have and which do you suggest for someone wanting to making 1 million/year? Are some more profitable than others?

I don't make as much as Jim Carey and Zig is one of my all-time heros. I'm fairly certain I make more than M3Power and I do so by prosecuting crooked insurance agents. People often come to me for help after they've won a big lawsuit against their insurance company. I write less than 5 or 6 policies each year. Lastyear, I wrote one for a NY couple with an annual premium of just over $6.7 and did a little over $7 in annuities.

Unlike most of the go-getters you'll find in the industry, I was never a [really] good salesman because I never really busted my butt like so many others do. I made MDRT 6 times and had a lot of fun but I never gave it the 110%.

My goal was to make friends with my clients and make sure they knew I always had their best interest in mind. Believe it or not, there is a difference between saying, and actually doing that. Back in the early 90s, I led the entire Sales Division at Metropolitan Life with a referral percentage of over 98%.

No matter what they might think, insurance salespeople are not automatically trusted because they work for any particular company. This is something they "learn and earn."

_________________Please feel free to go to my website at www.markcolbert.com or, if you have a specific question, you can email me directly. I hope I can answer any questions you might have. If not, I can certainly find an answer right away.